1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for feeding plants and, more particularly, to plant feeding devices especially adapted for applying plant food to roots of a plant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to promote healthy growth of plants, plant food or fertilizer is often applied to the plant or the soil in which the plant is growing. There are numerous known methods for applying the plant food. In one method, solid plant food materials are dissolved in water within a hand-carried container, and the solution is poured or sprayed from the hand-carried container onto the plant directly or directly onto the soil in which the plant is rooted. A disadvantage of this method is the need to hand carry the dispensing container to the plant each time the food is dispensed. In this respect, it would be desirable to provide a method for dispensing plant food to a plant which does not require carrying a hand-carried container to the plant each time the plant food is dispensed.
Another method of dispensing plant food involves the placement of a food leaching device in the soil in which the plant is rooted. As long as the soil is wet, plant food leaches out of the soil-placed device and can contact the roots of the plant. This method, however, is highly dependent upon the moisture content of the soil for its optimum utility. In times of drought, such a device may not operate efficiently. On the other 3hand, is a rainy season, too much plant food may be leached out and even wasted. In this respect, it would be desirable if a method of feeding a plant included a soil-placed feeding device that did not depend upon soil moisture content for its efficient operation.
Plants need water in addition to plant food. In this respect, it would be desirable if a plant feeding device provided both plant food and water in a single operation.
Sometimes, when a solid plant food is present in a excessively high concentration, it may burn the plant. On the other hand, if the plant food is sufficiently diluted, it will not burn the plant. In this respect, it would be desirable for a plant feeding device that provided a plant food with sufficient dilution to prevent a plant from being burned by excessively concentrated plant food.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to plant feeding devices, and the following U.S. patents representative of some of those innovations: 3,755,966; 3,774,556; 3,911,837; 4,850,291; and 5,272,992. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,966 discloses a deep root feeder and tree irrigator that is installed in the soil adjacent to the roots of a tree. Once the device is installed in the soil, essentially no control for dispensing the food into the soil is possible. In this respect, it would be desirable to provide a device for dispensing plant food into the soil adjacent to the roots of a plant which provided considerable control over the food-dispensing process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,556 discloses a device for introducing liquids into soils which employs a motorized rotary drill and a remote supply of plant food connected to the drill by hoses. To avoid the complexities of a rotary drill and a remote supply of plant food, with the accompanying hoses, it would be desirable if a plant feeding device were provided which does not employ a rotary drill and does not employ a remote :plant food supply connected to a dispenser using hoses.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,837 discloses a liquid fertilizer injector that has wheels, a furrow-forming shanks, and a fertilizer-containing tank. As the device is pulled along the ground, the shanks make furrows in the ground into which fertilizer is dispensed. Such a device is useful for preparing the soil for future plan tings. However, such a device is not designed to provide plant food for already planted and growing plants. Moreover, for already planted plants, cutting a furrow adjacent to the plant is not desirable.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,850,291 and 5,272,992 disclose wheeled plant food dispensers that include devices for penetrating the ground as the device moves along its wheels. It is clear that such devices are designed to feed a large plurality of plants spaced apart from one another in long rows in rapid succession. However, it would be desirable to provide a plant feeding device that is stationary and dedicated to one or more plants.
Still other features would be desirable in a plant feeder apparatus. For example, it would be desirable to be able to install a plant feeding device in the soil without actually bending down and working at ground level. This could avoid starting or exacerbating back or knee problems.
Different plants have root systems that are located at different underground levels in the soil. In this respect, it would be desirable for a plant feeding device to be adaptable for plants having root systems at different underground levels.
By being able to apply plant food directly to the root regions of the plant, great savings and significantly less waste is obtained in comparison with applying food to the whole plant.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use plant feeding devices, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a plant feeder apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides a method for dispensing plant food to a plant which does not require carrying a hand-carried container to the plant each time the plant food is dispensed; (2) includes a soil-placed feeding device that does not depend upon soil moisture content for its efficient operation; (3) provides both plant food and water in a single operation; (4) provides a plant food with sufficient dilution to prevent a plant from being burned by excessively concentrated plant food; (5) provides a device for dispensing plant food into the soil adjacent to the roots of a plant which provides considerable control over the food-dispensing process; (6) does not employ a rotary drill and does not employ a remote plant food supply connected to a dispenser using hoses; (7) provides a plant feeding device that is stationary and dedicated to one or more plants; and (8) enables one to install a plant feeding device in the soil without actually bending down and working at ground level. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique plant feeder apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.